The U.S. Air Service in World War I: Volume II - Early Concepts of Military Aviation, 1913 to 1919, Foulois, Mitchell, Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Observation Balloons, Area and Precision Bombing

Professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction, this Air Force publication is a collection of documents reflecting and illustrating various concepts of the functions of military aviation and ideas concerning the employment of aircraft as an instrument of warfare. The period represented is from the creation of the Aviation Section and the beginning of World War I in the summer of 1914 until the end of the fighting in November 1918. The selection of documents for inclusion in this book has been restricted to official materials of American origin available on paper or microfilm in the Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center of the U.S. Air Force or in the Fairchild Library of Air University; both facilities are located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Some items, such as Congressional hearings, Boiling's report, and Gorrell's plan for bombing, have already appeared in print in various places; many are being published here for the first time.

The original text and, so far as possible, the original format have been followed in preparing the various documents for publication. As a result, there is some inconsistency, sometimes within a single document, in such things as spelling, punctuation, and format. For example, "reconnaissance" also appears as "reconnoissance," and "strafe" often appears as "straff." The only editorial changes, except for omissions clearly indicated by ellipsis marks, are those made to correct confusing punctuation and obvious mistakes, such as slips in spelling and typing.

Part I - The Aviation Section, 1914-1917 * 1. Aeronautics in the Army * 2. Four-Squadron Plan * 3. Creation of the Aviation Section, Signal Corps, 18 July 1914 * 4. Field Service Regulations, 1914 * 5. Funds for Aeronautics (Fiscal Year 1916), December 1914 * 6. Scriven: The Service of Information, 1915 * 7. Scriven: Annual Report, 1915 * 8. War College Division: A Proper Military Policy, 1915 * 9. To Increase the Efficiency of the Military Establishment, 1916 * 10. Preparedness for National Defense, 1916 * 11. National Defense Act of 1916 * 12. Funds for Fiscal Year 1917, April 1916 * 13. Foulois: The 1st Aero Squadron in Mexico, 1916 * 14. Scriven: Annual Report, 1916 . * 15. Funds for Fiscal Year 1918, January 1917 * Part II - Air Service Plans and Programs, April 1917-February 1918 * 16. 12,000-Plane Program, 29 May 1917 * 17. Mitchell: Air Policy, 13 June 1917 * 18. Mitchell: Aeronautical Organization, 13 June 1917 * 19. Dodd: Aviation Work, 18 June 1917 * 20. Churchill: Liaison with Artillery, 21 June 1917 * 21. Churchill: Air Superiority, 21 June 1917 * 22. Parker: The Role of Aviation, 2 July 1917 * 23. Board of Officers: Recommendations, 4 July 1917 * 24. Duties of the Chief of Air Service, 5 July 1917 * 25. 59-Squadron Plan, 10 July 1917 * 26. Boiling: Report, 15 August 1917 * 27. 260-Squadron Plan, 18 September 1917 * 28. Command in the Zone of Advance, 10 October 1917 * 29. Gorrell: Strategical Bombardment, 28 November 1917 * 30. Foulois: Recommendations for Air Service, 1 December 1917 * 31. Foulois: Report on Air Service Problems, 23 December 1917 * more